WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Responding to the Government of Madagascar's request for international assistance, U.S. Chargé d'Affaires Henderson M. Patrick declared a disaster due to widespread flooding from Cyclone Indlala. As a result, the U.S. Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has provided $100,000 in assistance to Madagascar for this disaster and other recent tropical storms and cyclones. USAID is giving $50,000 to NGO partner CARE for emergency relief supplies and another $50,000 to the UN World Food Programme to transport food to remote communities.
On March 15, Tropical Cyclone Indlala hit Madagascar's northeastern coast with strong winds up to 102 mph. According to the Government of Madagascar, the storm has killed 21 people and affected more than 23,000 others.
Since December 2006, five tropical storms and cyclones have hit Madagascar and as a result, excessive rainfall from the storms has led to widespread flooding, the damage of infrastructure and crops, and has threatened local food security. A USAID assessment team visited affected regions in Madagascar last week to evaluate the damage from Cyclone Indlala and previous storms.
USAID will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as appropriate.
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